Recognition has emerged as the single strongest motivation factor for Indian professionals, with 92% of respondents identifying it as their top workplace driver, a new study by Avtar Group in collaboration with EY Global Delivery Services (EY GDS) revealed on Monday.
The nationwide study, titled Why We Work, surveyed 10,255 professionals across industries and career levels between April and July 2025. It highlights how the country’s workforce — spanning Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z — continues to seek meaning, visibility, and stability amid rapid technological and organisational change.
According to the report, 61% of respondents were men, 38% women, and 1% chose not to specify. Millennials represented the largest group at 69%, followed by Gen Z at 16% and Gen X at 14%.
Recognition over reward
The study found that recognition outpaces financial growth as a key motivator, especially among employees navigating the uncertainties of automation, hybrid work, and global market volatility. The report notes that professionals are increasingly defining success not merely by compensation but by feeling valued, trusted, and visible within their organisations.
Regional patterns also emerged. In Tier II and Tier III cities, the gender gap in valuing recognition was the widest — 78% of women professionals listed it as a top priority compared with 58% of men. The report said this points to the deeper need for equitable workplace cultures beyond metropolitan centres.
Skills, security, and resilience
The research also underscores India’s growing appetite for upskilling and professional challenge. Some 91% of professionals said they are eager to take on more demanding assignments, while only 28% of Gen X respondents said continual learning is not a priority — compared with 40% of millennials and 47% of Gen Z.
Job stability remains another major concern. Around 65% of respondents said they value stable and predictable careers, a sentiment most pronounced among younger workers balancing ambition with risk.
Women professionals, particularly those in leadership roles, displayed higher readiness to “step outside their comfort zones” — 71% versus 59% of men — though they also reported greater anxiety about automation and disruption (52% versus 42% of men).
The human factor in the age of AI
Sandeep Kohli, Deputy Global Vice Chair – Talent at EY GDS, said the findings reveal “a powerful shift in India’s world of work,” with professionals driven as much by recognition, security, and belonging as by financial growth. “The organisations that will thrive are those that nurture this balance, where people feel seen, valued, and trusted to grow. That’s the true currency of engagement in the new workplace,” Kohli said.
Jaya Virwani, Chief Wellbeing Officer and Inclusiveness Leader at EY GDS, said the research provides “invaluable insight into what’s driving India’s workforce today” as organisations undergo massive change.
Saundarya Rajesh, Founder–President of Avtar Group, added that resilience and psychological safety will be critical as AI reshapes industries. “To attract and retain talent, leaders must build workplaces where people feel safe, recognised, and energised by what they do,” she said.
A workforce seeking meaning
The Why We Work study paints a picture of a workforce balancing uncertainty with aspiration, showing that while Indian professionals continue to pursue growth, they are equally motivated by recognition, inclusion, and human connection.
As organisations invest in automation and digital transformation, the findings suggest that their long-term competitiveness will hinge on how well they recognise and reward the human contributions that technology cannot replicate.